Establishment of the Department of Geriatric Medicine and the Department of Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine also

HONOLULU — The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (BOR) at its monthly meeting held today at Kapiʻolani Community College (KCC) authorized the establishment of the Academy of Creative Media (ACM), within the Colleges of Arts and Sciences at UH Mānoa. While located organizationally at UH Mānoa, ACM will work collaboratively with all campuses across the system drawing upon existing programs, faculty, and students.

"Two weeks after arriving at UH, I raised expectations by turning the dream of a film school into reality by making it a priority for my administration," said UH President Evan Dobelle. "Thanks to the dedication, commitment, and vision of Chris Lee and his team and the support of the people of Hawai'i, our original dream has grown and evolved into the Academy for Creative Media — a true testament to what can be achieved when we work together."

ACM‘s mission will be to establish a globally competitive media studies program in Hawai'i with instructional programs that span the entire academic spectrum, from certificates to associate, undergraduate and graduate degrees. Due to the challenges associated with building a media school from the ground up, ACM‘s initial strategy will be to leverage existing resources and faculty assets across the 10-campus UH system. This strategy gives ACM the opportunity to open interdisciplinary channels of cooperation and information exchange between colleges and programs, thereby reinforcing existing strengths and creating new pathways and infrastructure.

"This is a great day for the many people who have worked towards the vision of creating a 'film school' unique to Hawai'i that can compete in the global market place. The Academy for Creative Media would not have been possible without the support of President Dobelle, Governor Lingle, the Board of Regents, the UH Administration, UH Mānoa Chancellor Peter Englert and all the UH Chancellors, and, of course, my fellow faculty members and future students," said ACM Chairman Chris Lee.

Lee continued by adding "The mission of the University of Hawai'i to transform our economy will be judged not just by our ability to attract new businesses to the state, but also by our ability to inspire the confidence of our own people."

To date, Lee has raised $450,000 in grants and donations for ACM. In addition, Mānoa Chancellor Peter Englert has made $353,000 available through reallocation of existing resources. For the next fiscal year, Governor Linda Lingle is proposing $767,000 in the supplemental budget for the academy‘s first full year.

The BOR also approved the establishment of the Department of Geriatric Medicine and the Department of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). The creation of the Department of Geriatric Medicine and the Department of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine recognizes the strong preexisting academic and research programs currently in JABSOM. The reorganization and establishment of these two departments will allow JABSOM to use existing resources more effectively by concentrating efforts in areas where the school can be successful in competing for extramural funding.

In addition, the BOR accepted gifts, grants, and contracts worth approximately $40 million for the university for the two-month period between October and December.

In other BOR action, the KCC mission statement and strategic plan was approved. KCC‘s mission statement and strategic plan were developed as part of the overall university and community college master plan development. The KCC strategic plan will serve as the guiding force for 2003-2010, subject to regular review and revision.